District Leaders Learn About New Behavioral Health Center to Support Students and Families
The Capital Area Leadership Network (CALN), a group of school district superintendents and administrators, recently heard from Dr. Michael Nanzer, Executive Director of Behavioral Health at University of Michigan Health-Sparrow, who presented “Shaping the Future of Behavioral Health for Our Community.”
The CALN meets regularly to hear from local lawmakers, community partners, companies and non-profits to build relationships, identify opportunities for collaboration and share information. The November session focused on a major step forward for mental health care in the Lansing area.
Dr. Nanzer shared details about the Janice M. Granger Behavioral Health Building, a 64-bed facility that will provide behavioral health services to adult, geriatric, and child and adolescent patients. It will be the first inpatient option of its kind for minors in the area with a modern, innovative design that is meant to support treatment as much as the clinical care itself.
School officials also learned about outpatient programs the center will offer to further support youth and families throughout the region.
A central theme of the presentation was partnership. Dr. Nanzer emphasized that teachers, counselors and other school staff are often the first to notice when a student needs mental health support. By working together, schools and UM Health-Sparrow can identify students’ needs, provide early intervention and have resources ready to offer more robust support when it is needed, through established communication channels and mutual support.
